Damaged fishing boat comes home after Chinese ship’s attack

Fishing boat QNg 90205-TS from the central province of Quang Ngai has safely landed at Tinh Ky Port in Quang Ngai city on May 18, despite damages it suffered from an attack by a Chinese fisheries administration ship two days earlier.

Fishing boat QNg 90205-TS from the central province of Quang Ngai has safely landed at Tinh Ky Port in Quang Ngai city on May 18, despite damages it suffered from an attack by a Chinese fisheries administration ship two days earlier.

Hundreds of people welcome the wounded fishermen home. Photo VNE

Immediately after landing, two fishermen Nguyen Huyen Le Anh, 30 and Nguyen Tan Hai, 24, who were injured after being beaten by people sent from the Chinese ship in the attack, were brought to Quang Ngai General Hospital for treatment.

Vu The Bao, deputy head of the hospital’s first aid ward said both victims have soft tissue wounds and Hai has a broken arm. They will be given X-ray and CT scan for more accurate assessment of their health conditions.

On May 16, China’s ship 306 attacked boat QNg 90205-TS when the Vietnamese boat was operating in the traditional fishing ground in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago. Crew members of the Chinese ship got on the fishing boat and beat the Vietnamese fishermen. They also damaged and took away all properties including satellite positioning and communications equipment on the Vietnamese fishing boat.

After being assailed, the boat managed to escape and then get medical assistance from Vietnam’s coast guard vessels.

The boat’s owner and captain Nguyen Van Quang from Binh Son district said the attack caused a total loss of about 500 million VND (23,500 USD) for his boat.

Previously, on May 7, fishing boat QNg 96416-TS, captained and owned by Nguyen Van Loc from An Vinh commune, Ly Son district, Quang Ngai province, was chased and rammed by a Chinese ship in the Hoang Sa area, suffering from damage to its sides and cabin.

Also on May 7, fishing boat QNg 96147, captained by Duong Van Giau from An Hai commune, Ly Son district, was chased by a Chinese military ship.

Over recent time, many fishing boats from Quang Ngai were chased and harassed by Chinese ships in Hoang Sa waters and fishermen were taken captive illegally by the Chinese side, while their properties and catches as well as equipment on their boats seized.

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